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Steampunk Literature
Published on May 14, 2012 by AWBabbage As “Steampunk” is very broad in scope with fuzzy margins, many different kinds of books may qualify as of interest to steampunk readers. In general, fictional books of the Victorian era (or similar alternate timelines) that include steam or clockwork powered futuristic machines or technology combined with industrial age or post-apocaliptic elements are ‘steampunk’ works. Some early books may be of interest because they embody the spirit of individualistic adventure that is a popular steampunk theme, others, because they explore “punk” or populist themes in response to industrialization. Less clear-cut are “future” science fiction books that combine retro and speculative technology. Anne McCaffery’s “Pern” series (bio-engineered renaissance revival) and Frank Herbert’s “Dune” series don’t make the cut to be Steampunk. Please make suggestions to add to the list as replies in thelinked forum. This page will be periodically updated by the Moderators. Please add to this list by recommending novels and short stories you have read, with a brief comment or description. PLEASE put (your name) after the book title, so we know who made the comment and who we can converse with after we have read them. These lists are organized by the date of original publishing – very important for retro-futurists and time-travelers. (SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) If this appears in the listing, it can be borrowed at local libraries. This has not been checked for all listings. For early works, many are available on-line. See gutenberg.org. ‘MODERN STEAMPUNK FICTION’ (Written or accepted as Steampunk Literature, beginning with Blaylock, Jeters, and Powers in the 1980′s) 2009- Boneshaker – Cherie Priest – (rec.AWB) 2010- Leviathan – Scott Westerfield (recommended AWB) 2010 – Steampunk’d – Edited by Jean Rabe and Martin Greenberg (rec.AWB) Another short story collection rushed to print by publishers hoping to profit from the Steampunk genre. The stories are written from many different perspectives, some more successfully than others. Worth reading for the variety of styles represented. 2010 – Blameless – Gail Carriger (rec. AWB) Gail weaves victorian society together with steampunk inventors, vampires, were wolves and fast paced action into highly enjoyable stories. There is wry humour on every page, the characters are believable, the dialog witty, and the gadgets everything one could hope for. RECOMMENDED! Third in the Parasol Protectorate series. 2011- Behemoth – Scott Westerfield (recommended AWB) 2011 – The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man – Mark Hodder (review AWB) The book has plenty of steampunk machines, but is something of a patchwork, not smoothly integrated into a consistant style. Descriptions, dialogue and characters are uneven, but the overall effect is an interesting steampunk story. The protagonist is highly reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes with a trace of James Bond. The author shows potential and is worth following. 2011- Steampunk! : an anthology of fantastically rich and strange stories / edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant. (rec. gwen dolyn) -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) (getting this one from the library this week- dec. 20–> will let you all know how it is. 2011- Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel- Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris (rec. Christina Payton) 2011 – Clockwork Heart – Dru Pagliasotti STEAMPUNK GRAPHIC NOVELS 2010 – The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects – Mike Mignola (rec. Iron Rose) 2010 – Girl Genius, Vol. 1: Agatha Heterodyne and The Beetleburg Clank – Phil and Kaja Foglio (rec. Iron Rose) STEAMPUNK NONFICTION/ ART/ CRAFTS/SEWING 2009- Steampunk-style jewelry : Victorian, fantasy, and mechanical designs, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings / Jean Campbell. (rec. & OWNED by gwen dolyn) -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) 2011- Steampunk : the art of Victorian futurism / Jay Strongman. -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) 2011- The steam punk bible : an illustrated guide to the world of imaginary airships, corsets and goggles, mad scientists, and strange literature / by Jeff VanderMeer -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) 2011- Steampunk emporium : creating fantastical jewelry, devices and oddments from assorted cogs, gears and other curios / by Jema Hewitt. -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) 2011- Carnal machines : steampunk erotica / edited by D. L. King. -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) 2011- The art of steampunk / Extraordinary Devices and Ingenious Contraptions from the Leading Artists… -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) 2011- Steampunk chic / Jennifer & Kitty O’Neil. -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) SCIENTIFIC ROMANCE (The sci fi classics: Verne, Wells, Burroughs and those written in similar styles before the term “Steampunk” was invented in the 1980′s.) 1870- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – Jules Verne http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2488 (rec.AWB) 1947- 21 Balloons – William Pène du Bois (rec.AWB) EARLY ADVENTURE 1719- Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe (rec.AWB) http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/521 1727- Gulliver’s Travels – Jonathan Swift (rec.AWB) http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/829 1812- Swiss Family Robinson – Johan David Wyss (rec.AWB) http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3836 1873- Around the World in 80 Days – Jules Verne (rec. AWB) http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1 1883- Treasure Island – Robert Lewis Stevenson (rec.AWB) http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/120 ‘MODERN’ FICTION SET IN VICTORIAN TIMES (Not ‘Steampunk’?) 2006-Larklight- Phillip Reeve-In an alternate Victorian England, young Arthur and his sister Myrtle, residents of Larklight, a floating house in one of Her Majesty’s outer space territories, uncover a spidery plot to destroy the universe-the adventures continue in Starcross and Mothstorm- great little novels for kids of all ages, and the illustrations by David Wyatt are wonderful!(rec. Linda Dias) TIME TRAVEL NOVELS: 1895- THE TIME MACHINE- H.G. Wells (rec. gwen dolyn) -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35 1970- TIME AND AGAIN- Jack Finney (rec. gwen dolyn) -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) 1975- SOMEWHERE IN TIME- Richard Matheson (rec. gwen dolyn) -(SAC PUBLIC LIBRARY) TIME TRAVEL SHORT STORIES: 1881-THE CLOCK THAT RAN BACKWARDS- Edward Page Mitchell (rec. gwen dolyn) http://www.horrormasters.com/T…../a2221.pdf (READ IT HERE) ALL YEARS- edited 2005- The best time travel stories of the 20th century / edited by Harry Turtledove with Martin H. Greenberg. (AUTHORS INCLUDED: Theodore Sturgeon — Henry Kuttner — Arthur C. Clarke — Jack Finney — A sound of thunder by Ray Bradbury — Death ship by Richard Matheson — A gun for dinosaur by L. Sprague de Camp — Poul Anderson -R.A. Lafferty — Leviathan! by Larry Niven — Joe Haldeman — Jack Dann — Connie Willis — Robert Silverberg — John Kessel –Charles Sheffield — Nancy Kress — Ursula K. Le Guin. Category:Article